U.S. patent number 4,854,712 [Application Number 07/181,645] was granted by the patent office on 1989-08-08 for multi-color luminous stirrer.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Chikuma Kouki Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Yasumasa Mori.
United States Patent |
4,854,712 |
Mori |
August 8, 1989 |
Multi-color luminous stirrer
Abstract
A multi-color luminous stirrer including a handle housing
therein a battery and a shank composed of two tubular-shaped
electrodes coupled together mechanically through an insulating
ring. When the tubular-shaped electrodes are submerged in a drink,
a switching circuit is actuated and in accordance with the movement
of an electroconductive ball placed freely on a flat electrode that
is connected to the battery and encircled by curved electrodes
which are electrically connected to a plurality of illuminants
housed at the tip of the shank by transparent or translucent cap,
ON and OFF states are created between the electrodes. Thus, the
illuminants emit light at random. The tubular-shaped shank may
alternately be formed of a highly heat conductive material, with a
bimetal housed therein so that when the tubular-shaped shank is
dipped in a drink which is different in temperature from that of
the ambient air, the switching circuit is actuated.
Inventors: |
Mori; Yasumasa (Nagano,
JP) |
Assignee: |
Chikuma Kouki Co., Ltd.
(Nagano, JP)
|
Family
ID: |
13877726 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/181,645 |
Filed: |
April 14, 1988 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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|
|
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Jun 2, 1987 [JP] |
|
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62-86116 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
366/129; 362/120;
D7/300.2; 366/142; 366/343 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B01F
15/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B01F
15/00 (20060101); B01F 015/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;366/129,130,142,144,279,342,343,349 ;362/109,115,116,120,227,234
;73/34R ;200/61.04 ;D7/42 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Simone; Timothy F.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Koda and Androlia
Claims
I claim:
1. A multi-color luminous stirrer comprising:
a plurality of illuminants housed in the tip portion of a
tubular-shaped shank supported by a handle and protected by a
transparent or translucent sealing material; and
a battery housed in said handle so as to cause said illuminants to
randomly emit light by supplying electricity therefrom; and
wherein said tubular-shaped shank is constructed by mechanically
coupling two tubular-shaped electrodes through an insulating ring
and electrically coupling said electrodes to said battery so that a
switching circuit for causing said illuminants to randomly emit
light is provided with electricity from said battery when
tubular-shaped electrodes are submerged in a liquid.
2. A multi-color luminous stirrer comprising:
a plurality of illuminants housed in the tip portion of a
tubular-shaped shank supported by a handle and protected by a
transparent or translucent sealing material; and
a battery housed in said handle so as to cause said illuminants to
randomly emit light by supplying electricity therefrom; and
wherein said tubular-shaped shank is formed of a highly heat
conductive material, and a bimetal switch is housed in said
tubular-shaped shank and electrically coupled to said battery so
that a switching circuit for causing said illuminants to randomly
emit light is provided with electricity from said battery when said
tubular-shaped shank is dipped in liquid having a temperature
different from that of ambient air.
3. A multi-color luminous stirrer according to claim 1, wherein
said switching circuit for causing said illuminant to randomly emit
light comprises an electroconductive ball placed freely on a flat
electrode connected to said battery and encircled by curved
electrodes connected electrically to said plurality of
illuminants.
4. A multi-color luminous stirrer comprising:
a handle containing therein a power source and a switching
circuit;
a shank connected at one end to said handle; and
a cap mounted at the other end of said shank, said cap containing a
plurality of illuminants which are connected to said switching
circuit and emit light of different colors; and wherein:
said switching circuit comprises:
a plurality of circular electrodes arranged side by side, each of
said electrodes being connected to one of said illuminants;
a flat electrode provided beneath said circular electrodes and
connected to said power source; and
an electroconductive ball placed on said flat electrode such that
said electroconductive ball electrically connects said circular
electrodes and said flat electrode; and
said shank comprises two tubular-shaped electrodes connected at the
ends with an insulator therebetween, said two tubular-shaped
electrodes being coupled to said source of power and for supplying
power from said power source to said switching circuit when said
stirrer is submerged in a liquid.
5. A multi-color luminous stirrer according to claim 4, further
comprising insulators provided between said plurality of circular
electrodes.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-color luminous stirrer
and, more particularly, to a multi-color luminous stirrer which,
while stirring drinks in a glass, emits multi-color light randomly
from the tip portions thereof, which reflects on the drink and
glass thereby appealing to the aesthetic sense of the observer.
2. Prior Art
When drinking whiskey diluted with water, a high-ball, or other
soft drinks, such drinks are generally stirred with a stirrer. Even
when drinking mixed cocktails such as a Bloody Mary or Margarita,
stirrers are usually used. Such frequently used conventional
stirrers have various types of decorative designs. For example,
some stirrers are shaped like golf clubs, etc. Through the skillful
use of plastic and glass materials, stirrers with a great variety
of decorative designs are produced and put into a wide range of
uses.
However, although conventional stirrers provide drinkers with
aesthetic enjoyment, the decorative designs thereof have been
limited to the shape of the stirrer and no conventional stirrer has
given visual pleasure to the user by emitting multicolor light.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a
multi-color luminous stirrer capable of giving perceptual pleasure
to the user by providing the stirrer with a light emitting function
and, particularly, with the function of emitting such multi-colored
light randomly.
The foregoing object of the invention is achieved by giving the
stirrer the following structural features.
The multi-color luminous stirrer of the present invention has a
plural number of illuminants protected by a transparent or
translucent sealing material housed at the tip of a tubular-shaped
shank supported by a handle. The stirrer is further designed so
that the illuminants emit light when supplied with electricity from
a battery housed in the handle.
In the multi-color luminous stirrer of the present invention, two
tubular-shaped electrodes are connected mechanically through an
insulating ring disposed therebetween so as to constitute a
tubular-shaped shank, so that the switching circuit is actuated
when the tubular-shaped electrodes are submerged in a liquid such
as water.
Furthermore, in this multi-color luminous stirrer, the
tubular-shaped shank is made of tubular material with a high
thermal conductivity, and a bimetal is housed within the tubular
shank such that the switching circuit is actuated when the
tubular-shaped shank is submerged in water having a temperature
different from the ambient air.
In addition, a flat electrode connected to the battery is provided
for the switching circuit so as to be surrounded by the curved
electrodes which are electrically connected to the illuminants such
that, an ON or OFF state is created between the electrodes causing
the illuminants to randomly emit light in accordance with the
movement of an electroconductive sphere placed on the flat
electrode.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The Figures show embodiments in accordance with the teachings of
the present invention.
FIG. 1 is a front view of a multi-color luminous stirrer according
to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a partial enlargement of a cross section of the stirrer
shown in FIG. 1;
FIGS. 3, 4 and 7 are plan views of the electrodes which change the
luminescent colors;
FIGS. 5 and 6 are front views of the electrodes which change the
luminescent colors;
FIG. 8 is a diagram of a switching circuit which changes the
luminescent colors;
FIG. 9 is a diagram of a switching circuit which changes the
luminescent colors in another embodiment;
FIG. 10 is a front view of a multi-color luminous stirrer of
another embodiment according to the present invention; and
FIG. 11 is a partially enlarged cross sectional view of the stirrer
shown in FIG. 10.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereunder, a description of the structure of the present invention
will be provided with reference to the drawings.
The Figures show the embodiments of the invention, and in the
Figures, like elements in the other embodiment are denoted by the
like reference numerals and symbols.
Referring first to FIGS. 1 through 8, a description will be given
of the first embodiment.
At the tip portion of a tubular-shaped shank 40 supported by a
handle 1, a plurality of illuminants H1, H2 and H3 which are
protected by a transparent or translucent sealing cap 52 are
housed. The illuminants H1, H2 and H3 emit light at random by the
electric power supplied from a battery 2 housed inside the handle
1.
The handle 1 is formed of the insulating material, such as plastic
or glass, and has an insulating ring 41 disposed between two
tubular-shaped electrodes 6 and 7 which are mechanically coupled,
thereby forming the tubular-shaped shank 40. A light emitting
portion 5 at the tip end is formed of the plurality of illuminants
H1, H2 and H3.
When the two tubular-shaped electrodes 6 and 7 are dipped in a
drink, a switching circuit 3 is actuated. More specifically, when
the two tubular-shaped electrodes 6 and 7 are submerged in the
drink, a low resistance is created by the water contained in the
drink exists between the electrodes 6 and 7. Consequently, electric
current flows to the base of a switching transistor Tr by passing
through the tubular-shaped electrodes 6 and 7. As a result, a
collector and emitter are electrically connected. Thus, electric
current flows at random to one or two of the illuminants H1, H2 and
H3 and a light emitting diode current limiting resistance R,
causing the illuminants H1, H2 and H3 to emit light randomly. The
illuminants H1, H2 and H3 can be composed of light emitting diodes,
lamps, or electroluminescences which emit different colors of
light.
The illuminants H1, H2 and H3 emit light at random via electrodes
which are constructed as described below.
In the switching circuit 3, an electroconductive ball K is placed
freely on a flat electrode C which is connected to the battery 2
and surrounded by curved electrodes D1, D2 and D3 which in turn are
connected electrically to a plural number of illuminants H1, H2 and
H3, respectively. Thus, the ON or OFF state is brought about
between the foregoing electrodes in accordance with the movement of
the stirrer and the ball K, as shown in FIG. 3 through FIG. 7. As a
result, the illuminants H1, H2 and H3 emit light a random.
More specifically, when the drink in the glass is stirred by the
multi-color luminous stirrer of this invention, the
electroconductive ball K rolls and comes into contact with one or
two of the electrodes D1, D2 and D3. As a result, electric current
flows from the electrode C, through the electroconductive ball K,
to one of the electrodes D1, D2 and D3, or a combination of these
electrodes (for example, D1 and D2, D1 and D3 or D2 and D3),
thereby causing the corresponding illuminants H1, H2 and H3 to emit
light.
For example, in the case shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the
electroconductive ball K causes the electrodes D1 and D2 to be
electrically connected to the electrode C, thereby turning on the
illuminants H1 and H2.
In the case shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the electroconductive ball K
causes the electrode D1 to be electrically connected to the
electrode C, and thus, turns on the illuminant H1.
In the case shown in FIG. 7, since insulating members 8 are
provided between the electrodes D1, D2 and D3, respectively, the
electroconductive ball K does not cause two electrodes among the
electrodes D1, D2 and D3 to be electrically charged at the same
time as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, so that two beams of light with
mutually different colors are not emitted simultaneously.
In the Figures, reference numerals 62 and 72 denote lead wires
leading from the electrodes 6 and 7 to the switching circuit 3, and
reference numerals 11, 12 and 13 designate lead wires from the
switching circuit 3 to the illuminants H1, H2 and H3,
respectively.
Another embodiment of a multi-color luminous stirrer according to
this invention will now be explained with reference to FIGS. 9
through 11.
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 through 11 the tubular-shaped
shank 40 is formed of a tubular material that is high in thermal
conductivity. Inside of the tubular-shaped shank 40, a bimetal 9 is
housed. When the tubular-shaped shank 40 is dipped in a drink which
is different in temperature from the ambient air, the shape form of
the bimetal 9 changes, and the bimetal 9 comes into contact with a
contact, causing the switching circuit 3 to operate. Aside from
this feature, the other components such as the electrodes D1, D2,
and D3 and the illuminants H1, H2 and H3 are the same as those in
the first embodiment.
The multi-color luminous stirrer according to the present invention
has the structure described above. Accordingly, the stirrer itself
emits light and, in addition, multi-color light is emitted at
random from the stirrer. Thus, the stirrer can entertain the user
by creating a visually pleasurable effect due to the beautiful glow
of the drink and glass reflecting the multi-color light emitted
from the stirrer and scintillating against those light.
* * * * *